Mystery Motel
by what-happened-in-peru
Summary: Clary and Jace keep finding demons in a peculiar motel, but can't figure out why! Is it a coincidence or does this motel have secrets? Are they alone? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**The Mortal Instruments and all related characters and concepts belong to Cassandra Clare and Simon & Schuster, inc. **

**~Written by B.**

The ravener they were facing this time was bigger than any Clary had faced before. She jumped to the side before the demon could sink its teeth into her throat. It made a hissing sound and shook itself off.

"Clary, here!" called to her, lightly tossing a seraph blade to her. "It's name is Jahoel." He pointed to the demon and started up the stairs. "Quickly, it seems to have regained its bearings. I'll see what I can find up here."

She charged the demon, slicing its throat with the blade. Just as the stinger was whipping around towards her head, the demon folded in on itself, leaving nothing behind in its place. Gasping, she looked around for any other demons. The coast seemed clear.

"Did you find anything?" she called to Jace as she peeked into one of the rooms.

Jace shook his head. "No, nothing helpful. Odd place, isn't it?"

This took Clary by surprise. "Odd how?" They were standing in what seemed to be an old abandoned motel. One of the really cheap ones that gets shut down by the health department or something. They had been to the Silent City, the Dumort, and even the Seelie Court, so she couldn't imagine something so simple appearing strange to him.

"I'm not really sure. There's no furnace and it's in the dead of winter, but it's hot in here. And I don't think it's just because I'm in the room."

She ignored him and walked around. She realized this was true; it was quite hot all over the motel. She couldn't really think of a good reason. "Well, could it be because of the demons that were here?"

Jace looked thoughtful for a moment. "Nah, I don't think so. Raveners don't really give off much heat and besides, there's no sign of demon activity on the second floor. I wonder why it was here in the first place. I've been here before and-"

"You have?" Clary interrupted.

"Yes. Demons have shown up here before, but I can't figure out why. I've searched the place multiple times and I can't find anything that would attract them."

"Maybe they like the heat here?" she suggested.

Jace shrugged. "Maybe." He gave a little chuckle and started back downstairs. "I'm sure Alec is wondering where I am. I told him I'd be back at the Institute by five."

"I don't need to be home until eight, so I'll come too. If," she added, "you don't mind too much."

Jace twirled her around and pulled her close. "Now why would I mind that?" He kissed her and ran backwards out the door. "You coming?" He flashed her his blinding smile.

Clary rolled her eyes and ran past him. "Race you!" she shouted back as she darted down the sidewalk.

"Oh, you don't want to get into that," he shouted back. He soon caught up with her of course, despite her head start. He ran ahead to prove his point, then they slowed down together. "I told you. Now you owe me dinner at Taki's tomorrow, Shadowhunter racing rules."

"You made that up," she laughed as they arrived at the Institute. It was about half past five.

"You're late," said Alec the minute we stepped in the door.

"I know."

Alec sighed. "Well, I don't need you anymore. I asked Magnus to help me instead."

"'Kay." Jace replied.

Clary didn't even bother asking what it was that he needed help with. "Well, since you're free now..." she trailed off.

Jace dropped off some of his hunting gear in the back room and called to her, "You should stay. I rented a movie."

"I'll have to call Luke. What movie?"

"I don't know. I just rented one. Does it matter?" he asked and tilted her chin up to look at him.

She laughed. "No."

Luke wasn't too happy about Clary blowing off dinner, but that didn't really matter. It was a crappy movie, crappier than the ones she used to find on TV with Simon. Something about a secret ninja plot to kill the queen. Neither of them were paying attention. About halfway through, they fell asleep on the couch clutching each other.


	2. Chapter 2

"Jace!" Alec shouted. He woke them both up.

"I'm up, I'm up," he mumbled. "Come on, Clary. Alec needs me again." Jace gently shoved Clary off his chest and left her with her head resting on the small embroidered cushion.

Clary wasn't completely awake, and they didn't seem to need her much, so she layed on the couch, listening in on their conversation.

"We've just received _more _reports of demonic activity in the stupid motel a few blocks down. I thought you two just checked it out yesterday!" said Alec, frustrated.

Jace sighed. "We _did. _We couldn't find anything out of the ordinary, although it was strangely warm in there."

"Well, I suggest you go back. Just one more time. Just to be safe. You know, it's pretty close to the Institute and I find it unsettling how often demons show up there."

Jace shook his head. "Fine." He walked back to Clary. "I know you're up. You heard that, right? You want to come with me again? I mean, uless you have plans with the vampire or something."

"No, I would love to come," she replied. She sounded like a child, eager to go on another adventure. Jace was right about the motel. Some thing was odd about it, but she couldn't place her finger on it. It was like there was someone else there, watching, waiting.

"All right. Grab your gear and we'll head out." She had just dumped her hunting gear beside the couch anyway, so that wasn't difficult.

They arrived at the old motel soon after. It felt the same as before, except without the ravener demon. Jace took out his sensor. "Well, I'm not getting much demon activity _now,_" he said, "only what's left over from yesterday. I don't know what Alec was talking about."

"Well we should take another look around anyway. Is there a basement?"

"I'm not sure. I figured there might be, but I can't find a door."

"Is there maybe a cellar door or something outside?"

Jace shrugged. "There might be. Let's go check." They walked back outside together. After circling the building a couple of times, they finally found a discreet little opening in the ground. It looked like it was usually hidden, but had been used recently. "This looks promising," he said with the glint in his eye he always got when he expected trouble.

The two stepped down the stone stairs into the darkness. At the bottom, Clary nervously poked her nose around the corner. "See anything?" Jace asked her.

"Wait." She took out her witchlight and shone it in her pitch black surroundings. It seemed to be just a typical cellar, until they heard something.

"Shh." Jace held up a finger. "I think I hear something coming from the corridor over there?"

Typical, Clary thought. Of course there had to be haunting corridor and secret passages. It sounded so Scooby-Doo. They slowly approached the corridor, stepping as lightly as possible.

There was something short and fat casting a lumbering shadow on the wall. Together, they peered around the corner and what did they find?

Lo and behold, it was Chairman Meow.


	3. Chapter 3

Jace looked down the hallway, then back at Chairman Meow. "What in the Angel's name are you doing here?" he asked the cat, shaking his head. "You know what's down the hall?"

Clary snickered. "He can't answer you."

Jace looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Can he?" It wouldn't be the strangest thing she'd ever seen.

He laughed. "No, I'm jsuti thinking he might be like Church. Maybe he does know what's down the hall. Whatever it is, it can't be too dangerous or else he'd be dead."

Clary nodded. She bent down and scratched the cat behind its ears. "Well, let's go then," she said.

Chairman Meow, well, meowed. He flicked his tail and led them down the stone corridor.

It turned out that the many passageways were not completely short of decoration. There were fancy candelabras that, to their misfortune, weren't lit. In some of the corners were Chinese vases with creeping ivy spewing out of them. Along the walls were portraits of important-looking people. They weren't painted in the traditional portrait style that was known to Clary. "They seem a bit...abstract, don't you think?"

"Not really," Jace replied. "This style of painting is common in Idris. It looks off to you because you're used to mundane techniques and materials. "

"Oh." She let her mind wander as she and Jace followed the cat through the endless twists and turns. A particular portrait caught her eye. "The man in this one looks...oddly familiar." Something about his eyes. They were eyes that you just couldn't forget.

"Hmm?" He glanced at the ornately framed picture. "I guess. Look, Chairman Meow is trying to get us to go in here," he said, gesturing to the door to Clary's left.

"Okay," she said hesitantly. She was still trying to figure out who the picture was of. Turning around, she headed into the dark room. As she stepped through the doorway, to her surprise, the room illuminated! Fascinated by her new surroundings, she completely missed the figure sitting in an armchair in the corner of the room.

Jace caught her attention with a question. But it wasn't directed at her. "Magnus?!" he asked, astonished. "What the hell are you doing in the basement of an abandoned motel?"

Clary spun around. Sure enough, Magnus Bane was sitting there reading a book. That's why the portrait looked so familiar.

"Reading, obviously. Great, more bothersome shadowhunters. You honestly think that's all this is? You think I would waste my time someplace so trivial? As the High Warlock of Brooklyn, I am offended." Magnus set his book down and welcomed Chairman Meow onto his lap.

Jace raised his eyebrows. "Then where are we?"

The warlock rolled his eyes. "This is where I've been doing the more...messy elements of my work recently. You remember the mess my apartment was in after I raised that last demon. Wait, never mind. Neither of you were there. Anyway, that's why you keep picking up signals here." He returned to what Clary then noticed was a spellbook.

"Does Alec know you come here?" Jace asked him.

"Of course."

"Then why would he keep sending me here?"

He sighed. "I don't know. He probably just wanted you out of his hair for a while. I know the feeling," he added.

Clary looked at Jace. "So... what? We go back then?"

"I guess," he replied. "I gotta go give Alec hell for this."

They hurriedly apologized to Magnus for yet again wasting his time, then darted back outside. Clary was surprised at how quickly Jace could make his way back through the winding corridors. She glanced at the time on the clock by the bank as they walked back. They were out later than they thought. Granted, they had woken up late, but it was almost six.


	4. Chapter 4

Clary and Jace threw open the door to the Institute to find Alec and Isabelle standing in front of them. "Have fun?" Isabelle asked.

Jace gave her a withering look. "You guys sent us on a wild goose chase. Why?"

"It was Izzy's idea," Alec replied. He then shrugged and left the room.

"Izzy?" Clary asked. "What's going on here?"

"You two are so silly!" she shouted with a grin. "You totally didn't realize what day is was!" Clary and Jace looked at each other quizzically. Isabelle continued, "It's your one-year anniversary of when you two met! I had to plan something special, of course. I asked Alec to think of a place we could send you two. He figured the motel was suspicious enough, so it would make sense to send you there."

For once, Jace was speechless. Clary spoke up, "Izzy, that's so sweet. What was it that you did while we were gone?"

"Follow me," she replied happily. They went with her to the patio out back. Clary didn't even know there _was _a patio at the Institute. The black metal chairs were facing each other under the colourful umbrella. There were scented candles sitting in the centre of the table, giving a faint glow. They would be brighter when the sun had completely set.

"Izzy, you didn't have to do this," Jace began.

"Oh stop," she interrupted, dragging him towards the table. "Isabelle, this is wonderful, thank you." She looked at Jace as Alec brought out trays full of fancy food she hadn't heard of. It felt like a frmal restaurant. They looked so out of place in their hunting gear.

Alec looked at their gear with a smirk, then layed out the food in front of them. He stopped to look at Isabelle, sighed, then went back inside.

Jace gave Isabelle a knowing smile. "How much did you have to pay him to do this?"

She paused. "Ten bucks."

"I figured."

Clary nudged him. "Don't ruin it. It was really nice of them to do anything at all."

"Well, I'll leave you two alone. Don't worry about Jocelyn and Luke, by the way. We told them you'd be staying for dinner again. You must be starving!" She grinned at them and stepped back into the Institute with a bounce in her step.

Clary was stunned. She had completely forgotten how long it had been. Not that she was the type of girl that plans anniversary celebrations, but still. Had it really been a year? She shook her head incredulously and looked up at Jace.

Clearly he was really enjoying the meal, though he was trying to seem nonchalant. "The food's okay," he said, shoving another forkful into his mouth.

She tried a bite. It tasted really good, but unfamiliar.

Jace saw her expression. "It's a recipe from Alicante, I think. It tastes pretty good. Alec must have made it."

She nodded. They finished off the food quickly. Jace ate most of it, of course. Isabelle hurried out and took the plates, then gave a wink to Clary. "Look up," she whispered, then trotted back inside.

Izzy was right to tell them to look up. She had never seen suck a beautiful sky in New York. It seemed foreign to her. There was a perfect mix of leftover sunlight and stars, casting swirls of beautiful colours. She looked down to see Jace admiring the sky as well.

Unashamed, she scooted her chair closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I had fun with you today," she mumbled, "goose chase or not."

He smiled. "Yeah, you too. You handled things well, you know. Looking around, investigating. I feel like you'd do fine without me."

"You know I wouldn't. I mean, I'd live. But it wouldn't be the same. We need teamwork, remember? You said it yourself. Do I have to keep reminding you?"

"No, I suppose not." He looked down at her. "I can see the reflection of the sky in your eyes."

This caught her off guard. She looked up at him, lips parted in surprise. Next thing she knew, he was kissing her. He pulled her closer and she kissed him back. They forgot about Alec and Izzy and Magnus. All that mattered to Clary was Jace. They held each other tight. She was truly happy, boxed in by his strong arms.

She got a text. It was her mom, telling her to come home. "I…have to go. I'm sorry."

"Now _you _stop. It's not your fault you have to leave."

She blushed. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then, I guess." She stood and started towards the back door. She didn't make it that far. Jace swooped in from behind and scooped her up. Together, they made their way through the Institute to the front door, both laughing.

She desperately wanted that day to last forever.


End file.
